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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28915326">One of Those Nights</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/namidaame49/pseuds/namidaame49'>namidaame49</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Persona 5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Nightmares</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 12:02:05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>715</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28915326</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/namidaame49/pseuds/namidaame49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Yusuke has nightmares sometimes.</p><p>It's nothing unmanageable. Nothing unusual. It's normal to sit bolt upright in the dead of night, hair clinging to the film of cold sweat on his forehead. Normal to already be clapping his hand over his mouth to muffle the scream. Normal to tremble for an hour afterward.</p><p>(Yusuke's Birthday day 2: dead of night)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Yusuke's Birthday</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>One of Those Nights</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Yusuke has nightmares sometimes.</p><p>It's nothing unmanageable. Nothing unusual. It's normal to sit bolt upright in the dead of night, hair clinging to the film of cold sweat on his forehead. Normal to already be clapping his hand over his mouth to muffle the scream. Normal to tremble for an hour afterward.</p><p>And yet this night seemed so much worse than anything before. The visions followed him into consciousness. The body hanging from its noose. The police questioning the students as Madarame hovered at the corners of their vision. The sickening gaudiness of the Palace and the darkness of the Shadows. The true Sayuri.</p><p>Alone, in the dorm room, he pressed his shaking hands to his mouth and cried.</p>
<hr/><p>"Dude, what's up with you? You look like shit."</p><p>"Ryuji!" Ann snapped. "Have some tact."</p><p>"Sorry! Er, is something wrong? You look like shit."</p><p>Ann groaned.</p><p>"I merely...did not sleep well," Yusuke said evasively.</p><p>"Oh, yeah, last night was your first night in the dorms, right?" Ryuji nodded sagely. "Gotta be weird sleepin' in a new place, huh?"</p><p>"...Yes, that's right."</p><p>Akira's eyes flickered to him, but he stubbornly avoided them.</p>
<hr/><p>The inky blackness of the paint clung to his body, seeped into his pores, sapped his strength. Shadow Madarame's hideous laughter rang in his ears. Morgana yowled as the paint on him bubbled, melting into a puddle. Ann's screams turned into whimpers, then silence. At first Akira looked untouched, but on closer inspection, the paint merely matched the darkness of his coat. Red gloves were now pitch black.</p><p>The blanket was the enemy. Thrashing about, he finally freed himself from it and flung it across the room. His phone was in his hand before he knew what he was doing, light blazing through the midnight darkness. Akira's meek student persona smiled timidly up from the screen as the real Akira answered. "Hey."</p><p>Yusuke's throat tightened in a futile attempt to cease his pitiful mewling.</p><p>"One of those nights, huh? I'm just gonna talk, then, okay? Tell me if you need something specific, if you can."</p><p>The voice on the other end of the phone was a thin golden lifeline, and he clung to it.</p><p>"Saw a couple of birds having the most majestic argument over a piece of bread on the way to Shujin this morning. I've never seen a bird look so triumphant with a piece of food bigger than its head before."</p><p>He wiped his face with the back of the hand not holding the phone, but fresh tears undid his work immediately.</p><p>"And then somehow that reminded Ann of the next photoshoot she has, which apparently the line of clothing she's modeling is inspired by 'avian elegance' or some fancy shit like that? I honestly hope she shows us pictures, because I want to see what kind of clothes are inspired by birds."</p><p>His breathing was slowly steadying, hand trembling less.</p><p>"And then of course all Morgana could talk about was food. His cat instincts kicked in."</p><p>"I am <em>not</em> a cat!" Morgana's indignant voice floated through the phone, and Yusuke chuckled.</p><p>"Feeling a little better now?"</p><p>His breath still shuddered in his throat, but he was at least able to draw it. "A little. You have my gratitude."</p><p>"Anytime. I'm glad I was able to help. I know all too well how trauma and nightmares work. If you ever want to sleep over here so you're not alone, you're more than welcome, okay?"</p><p>A breath in, a breath out. Almost normal.</p><p>"Thank you, Akira."</p><p>"Of course." There was a creaking noise as Akira shifted position. "Want me to stay on the line?"</p><p>"That isn't necessary, but thank you. I believe I will be able to get back to sleep."</p><p>"You sound better, at least. Okay. Call me if you need me."</p><p>"I will. Good night, Akira."</p><p>"Night, Yusuke."</p><p>As the screen turned off and the darkness returned, Yusuke took a deep breath, in through the nose, out through the mouth, as the tendrils of night tried to curl around him again. But realizing that even though he was physically alone in this room, he had the support of the other Phantom Thieves, robbed the darkness of its power. It would be back later, but for now...</p><p>For now, he slept.</p>
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